Roval Wheels: Alpinist CL II, CLX II, & Rapide CLX II

Posted May 11, 2022 in Cycling Gear, Road Biking, Cycling, Product Reviews by Thomas Running

specialized roval wheels

Roval keeps attacking and leading the pack with their new tubeless-compatible Rapide CLX II, Alpinist CL II, and Alpinist CLX II wheels. How do we know this? Rapide and Alpinist wheels have won more races on the World Tour in the last 2 years than any other wheels – 155 wins to be exact. From Cobbled Monuments, Grand Tour stages, high mountains, sprint finishes, and World Championships – they have set a new standard for winning by creating the fastest, best-handling wheels for any road.   

cyclist with roval wheels finishing race while crowd cheers them on

Roval takes many roads to achieve its goals:

  • Advanced software
  • Iterations made through rapid prototyping
  • Prototypes made inhouse with CNC ally molds and carbon fiber layups
  • Spoke by spoke hand-built wheels
  • Testing in their very own WIN tunnel
  • Feedback from the top riders
  • X-rays to evaluate impact tests
  • … And repeat until their high-quality standards are met 
cyclists racing on gravel road

Rapide CLX II & Alpinist CLX II Are Tubeless-Ready

When you go tubeless, you get better performance out of your tires. The benefits of lowering rolling resistance, incredible handling, and flat protection make cycling easier and provide a better all-around experience no matter the terrain. 

Rolling Resistance

This is the energy that is lost when the tire is rolling. The constant deformation of the tires takes away the watts you work hard for. Lowering this makes you a more efficient rider and lets you use those watts to go longer distances. Roval Wheels save you an average reduction of 8% in rolling resistance compared to tubed systems.

Incredible Handling

Better handling is given when going tubeless due to the reduced amount of material that must deform. Reduced friction leads to reduced energy loss, leaving more energy to launch you forward. Lower tire pressure also lets the tire deform to the contours and imperfections on the roads you ride offering better grip and a more comfortable and controlled ride, regardless of speed or terrain. If your tire is rolling, you’re faster on tubeless.

Flat Protection 

As cyclists, we are all aware that getting a flat is inevitable. Nothing stops an enjoyable ride quicker than a flat tire. Going tubeless is a great way to stave off this unavoidable problem longer.  Replacing your inner tube with a high-viscosity sealant that clogs most punctures and holes you ride over makes this a solid choice for less worrying.  

Doubling The Testing Standard 

Roval developed new testing methods while designing the Rapide CLX 2. They applied almost twice the force of current industry standards. This means you can ride confidently on the road and worry less about impacts on the wheelset. The Rapide CLX II and Alpinist CLX II utilize a hooked rim (allowing for riding pressures up to 110psi) for secure tire bead retention and an easier setup and mounting experience than ever before.  

If something were to happen on the unpredictable road, Roval has your back with a lifetime warranty and an amazing no-fault crash replacement policy. 

Rapide Means Stability 

Rapide’s unique front wheel dimensions come in wide (51mm deep and 35mm wide). This shape was created due to an optimization algorithm that was developed from Specialized’s FreeFoil library. They built a computer model that accounted for the rider and their reaction time.  

s works bike with roval wheels

Extensive automotive and aeronautical reaction timing studies show that riders struggle with wind gusts between 0.5 and 2.0 seconds. Riders can’t react to wind gusts shorter than 0.5 seconds; the timeframe is too short. A rider can react to gusts lasting between 0.5 and 2.0 seconds but will react after the wind gust is over. What happens is an overcorrection that needs to be corrected again, which is why blustery crosswinds feel so sketchy.

Roval instructed their algorithm to optimize stability in the 0.5 to 2.0 second window time. Faster than that, and you can’t react quickly enough to overcompensate. Slower than that, and you can easily adjust to the side force of a crosswind. The end result is a Rapide shape that is the best combination of pure drag reduction and stability within the reaction time frame that matters for a rider.  

Roval Alpinist CL II 

  • Color: Satin Carbon/Satin Black 
  • Rim: Alpinist CLX Cabon Clincher, 700c, Disc Brake, Tubeless 
  • Rim Details: 33mm Depth, 27mm External Width, 21mm Internal Width 
  • Hub: DT Swiss 350 Straightpull Center Lock, Star Ratchet 36t internals (10 degs),100x12mm & 142x12mm, Shim. RD. 11SP HG freehub 
  • Bearing Type: DT Swiss Sealed Steel Cartridge Bearings 
  • Spokes: DT Swiss Competition Race Straightpull, Front: Radial/Two-cross (2:1) 21count, DS: 276mm, NDS: 290mm, Rear: Two-cross (1:1) 24 count, DS: 283mmNDS: 287mm 
  • Nipple: DT Swiss Hex Prolock Al 2.0x14mm 
  • Tire Size: 24mm – 38mm, Max Pressure: 24mm-35mm: Tubeless (110psi) Tubed(130psi), 36mm-38mm: Tubeless (60psi) Tubed (60psi) 
  • Weight: Wheelset 1,375g, Front 606g, Rear 769g (including 15g, tubeless rim tape, and tubeless valve) 
  • Assembly Method: Hand-built at every step, from rim layup to the last nipple turn 
  • Extras: Roval Rim Tape, Spare Spoke & Nipple Kit, System Weight Limit:275lbs/125kg 

Roval Alpinist CLX II 

These wheels come alive on the open road with their handling and reactivity. It’s the lightest, best-handling clincher wheel Roval has ever made. The Alpinist is 50 grams lighter than the previous Alpinist CLX. It has a new low-profile hub body and machined rotor mounts.

Inside, DT Swiss EXP internals and SINC ceramic bearings deliver silky-smooth efficiency and outstanding durability. It has Hyper-responsive acceleration, corners with great control, and can tackle rougher roads. The Alpinist CLX II rim can handle almost double the impact standards of every certifying body.

It features the most precise carbon layup Roval has ever created – the result of over 50 different iterations, hundreds of impact tests, and countless hours on the road. This means instant acceleration with supreme durability.

The Alpinist has shifted its rim’s outer diameter dimensions to create an extra 1.4mm of bead slack in your tire. This delivers a much better install and roadside repair experience. 

And when paired with Specialized tubeless tires, this system gives you a lighter, stronger, and faster wheelset. 

roval wheels apinist
  • Color: Satin Carbon/Gloss White 
  • Rim: Alpinist CLX Cabon Clincher, 700c, Disc Brake, Tubeless 
  • Rim Details: 33mm Depth, 27mm External Width, 21mm Internal Width 
  • Hub: Roval LFD (LFD13/LF14R) Center Lock, DT Swiss 180 Ratchet EXP 36tinternals (10 degs), 100x12mm & 142x12mm, Shim. RD. 11SP HG freehub 
  • Bearing Type: DT Swiss SINC Ceramic Bearings 
  • Spokes: DT Swiss Aerolite T-head, Front: Radial/One-cross (2:1) 21 count, DS:276mm, NDS: 290mm, Rear: One-cross/Two-cross (2:1), DS: 288mm NDS:286mm 
  • Nipple: DT Swiss Hex Prolock Al 2.0x14mm 
  • Tire Size: 24mm – 38mm, Max Pressure: 24mm-35mm: Tubeless (110psi) Tubed(130psi), 36mm-38mm: Tubeless (60psi) Tubed (60psi) 
  • Weight: Wheelset 1,265g, Front 670g, Rear 694g (including 15g, tubeless rim tape, and tubeless valve) 
  • Assembly Method: Hand-built at every step, from rim layup to the last nipple turn. 
  • Extras: Roval Rim Tape, Spare Spoke & Nipple Kit, System Weight Limit:275lbs/125kg 

Roval Rapide CLX II 

These wheels combine the aerodynamics of a deep-section TT wheel with the lightweight of a shallower climbing wheel. The aerodynamic efficiency and climbing performance provide stable and confident handling, regardless of wind conditions. The Rapide is actually two wheels in one, each optimized for the unique aero challenges of its position a 51mm-deep front rim with a 35mm external width and a 60mm-deep rear rim with a 30mm external width. The result is a tubeless wheelset that’s faster than most 65mm wheels but is 25% more stable than our CLX50 in heavy wind. 

roval wheels
  • Color: Satin Carbon/Gloss White 
  • Rim: Rapide CLX Cabon Clincher, 700c, Disc Brake, Tubeless 
  • Rim Details: Front: 51mm Depth, 35mm External Width, 21mm Internal Width, Rear:60mm Depth, 30.7mm External Width, 21mm Internal Width 
  • Hub: Roval AFD (AFD01/AFD02R) Center Lock, DT Swiss 180 Ratchet EXP 36tinternals (10 degs), 100x12mm & 142x12mm, Shim. RD. 11SP HG freehub 
  • Bearing Type: DT Swiss SINC Ceramic Bearings 
  • Spokes: DT Swiss Aerolite T-head, Front: Radial/One-cross (2:1) 18 count, DS:257mm, NDS: 252mm, Rear: One-cross/Two-cross (2:1) 24 count, DS: 243mmNDS: 249mm 
  • Nipple: DT Swiss Hex Prolock Al 2.0x14mm 
  • Tire Size: 24mm – 38mm, Max Pressure: 24mm-35mm: Tubeless (110psi) Tubed(130psi), 36mm-38mm: Tubeless (60psi) Tubed (60psi) 
  • Weight: Wheelset 1,520g, Front 710g, Rear 810g (including 15g, tubeless rim tape, and tubeless valve) 
  • Assembly Method: Hand-built at every step, from rim layup to the last nipple turn. 
  • Extras: Roval Rim Tape, Spare Spoke & Nipple Kit, System Weight Limit:275lbs/125kg 

Are you ready to upgrade your ride? 

A new wheelset will drastically change the ride feel and quality. If you’re looking for a lightweight, efficient upgrade to make you faster, Roval wheelsets are the answer to that.  

Check out Roval Wheels on shopERIKS.com or go into your local ERIK’S location! Happy riding rubber side down.